Archaeological Evidence from Don Island

This chapter presents archaeological data from the Japanese fishing community on Don Island associated with the Ewen Cannery. It highlights categories of artifacts most relevant to issues of transnational consumption and diasporic identification. This original data is accompanied by summaries of relevant data from previous historical archaeological studies of the Japanese diaspora to lend support to the larger arguments and to highlight the variability and complexity of the Asian migrant experience. Accumulated data indicate retention of homeland practices in some areas, adoption of local goods and habits in others, and, in several instances, unique combinations of both.